


A Sigil of consideration (revised)

by Oddlydrawnthoughts23



Category: True Detective
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Crush, First Love, M/M, Summer Romance, Teen AU, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-22
Updated: 2015-06-22
Packaged: 2018-04-05 14:02:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4182612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oddlydrawnthoughts23/pseuds/Oddlydrawnthoughts23
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The boys have a moment to reflect by the river and talk, Rust has something for Marty while they sort out their friendship and feelings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Sigil of consideration (revised)

His eyes are shut and his breathing is faint, a mixture of nature’s music ringing low in his ears. The birds that sing from the trees, the whistles of the wind, and a low hum somewhere deep in the woods that sounds too familiar to Rust, an echoing familiarity to Alaska’s own tundra. He lies flat on his back on the bank between the riverbed and shore, his socks and shoes kicked off somewhere close by, and he almost pulls himself back into awareness when a trickle of moving water splashes against his toes. Rust lies still, about to fall under a spell when a voice he’s grown personally accustom to brings him back and his eyes snap open.  
“Rust,” Marty says, a little lost but not too concerned. “The hell you doing out here? Did you knock your head on something and pass out?” Marty tries to bite back a laugh, but he fails on all grounds. Rust stirs and really opens his eyes this time. “Marty…” Rust starts in as he pulled himself up, into a seated position, his mouth gone ajar. “You making sure if I’m alright, when I should be asking, what in the fuck happened to you?” Rust stares at the other young man across him, but there’s something different about Marty right now.  
He’s got a big shiner of a black eye swelling on the left side, the cheek and temple bruising with the same shade of purple. The other boy makes no attempt to hide it. “Oh, this…” Marty points to the eye as he takes a seat next to Rust, his own legs outstretched touching the water a bit. “I guess you can say I didn’t heard coach’s warnings all too well.” The amusement is gone from his voice now, Rust sighs as he sits up a bit more. “That right?” he says, not really seeking an answer from the other boy. “Who did it?” he follows up as he looks at Marty carefully. They’re sitting close enough that their shoulders are brushing against one another. “Who do you think did it? That fucker Mickey Robertson, prick. You should have seen his face Rust, laughing and all,” Marty responds with a bit of a growl. The back of his hand rises, about to rub the wounded eye, when Rust snatches his wrist mid-way. They lock eyes.  
“Don’t, you’ll irritate it more. Last thing you need is a fucked-up eye with bacteria in it,” Rust drawls out calmly. Marty just nods instead of responding before letting his wrist slide out of Rust’s grip. “You’re starting to sound like Maggie,” Marty huffs, dropping his shoulders as he takes a turn to lie on his back. Rust stares at the river in front of them. As long as they’ve know each other, Rust has always been silent, but keeping his eyes out for Marty, even if the other boy didn’t really need it. He cares in his own way.

“Are her parents allowing you to see her again? Probably not, knowing you…” Rust states, but not in a mocking tone. “Like you would know! No, I mean we’re in a rough patch on kinda a lot of things right now. Just added football injuries to the endless list of punishment,” Marty sighs, draping his arm over his eyes. “She’s just worried is all, you being the reckless hooligan you are, especially with the football, man. Had me worrying too as of late.” Rust murmurs the last part, but it’s too late, Marty caught it in full swing.  
“You’ve been at it for a while now, Marty, and between your folks and Maggie and I myself, we’re all just a bit scared is all,” he confesses, keeping his eyes trained on the water. “Even you, Rust? Wow,” Marty says, touched in a way. Deep down Marty feels a tinge of happiness that his friend cares that much.  
“Got you something.” Rust clears his throat as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out something small. Just his hand is covering it up. Marty sits up again, almost toppling into Rust as he waits in silence. “Here.” Rust doesn’t make eye contact as he places the pendant into Marty’s hand, closing his fingers over it.  
“Holy shit.” Marty opens his palm and glares at the pendant. It’s silver with a black symbol in the front, on a thread chain, his fingers tangling the item up. “Can’t believe you got me a fucking necklace, Rust. What is this? Some type of joke? I don’t even know what that little squiggle mea-“ “It’s a sigil, not a symbol.” Rust pauses, letting the blood drain from his cheeks again. “It’s not just a necklace Marty… it means protection, keeps you safe and out of harm’s way. You keep up with this charade of god knows what, you’ll have your fucking brains scrambled in no time.” “Rust, I ain’t…” Marty forgets what he was going to say. The act seems simple enough, a bit queer but the gesture is sweet. This is Rust after all.  
Marty shakes his head before he could let the break in his voice slip. “Thanks, dude,” he says quickly, shoving the necklace into his pocket like nothing. The silence wells up between them, but then Marty is smiling again, as he looks at Rust from the corner of his good eye. “You’re fucking strange, Rust, probably strangest kid I’ve ever met, but you’re my best friend.” Marty socks Rust in the shoulder, making him sway a bit. It takes Rust a moment but then he smiles too. “You’re my best friend too, Marty.”

The conversation takes a major detour then; the two teens get into discussions about school, the weed they scored off Marty’s old man’s secret stash, a Grateful Dead concert and more. The sun starts to fade, but the summer’s blistering heat, encloses in on the woods surroundings. “I can’t take this heat anymore,” Rust announces, standing up and stripping his shirt off. He goes without thought, just pants and that’s it, right into the water. The coldness seeps deep into his bones, but compared to the heat, it’s exquisite to Rust. “You better move over,” Marty calls in; it takes him a few seconds before clumsily making a splash next to Rust, as the two of them swim a bit further out. Marty tips his head back, his golden hair dipping into the water as he closes his eyes, floating. “Man, what a day,” he whispers.  
A moment of stillness, and then he’s sprayed by an unseen force. He jolts awake, eyes wide like saucers as he looks over and sees an honest to god grin on Rust’s face, the culprit of course. «You son of a bitch, come here!» Marty swims over and splashes Rust next; their arms collide against the clatter of water flying back and forth. They laugh and wrestle, trying to push and heave, almost pulling each other under but not quite ,until they’re pressed into each other. Marty goes under for a moment, needing a fresh dose of the cold before he springs back up to the surface, coughing a bit. Opening his eyes, he sees Rust staring at him, their faces just inches apart now. Marty looks back at him, he didn’t even notice the rise in their breathing. Neither says a word. Their noses brush together as they continue to stare. In a second it all changes, both boys lean forward, bringing their lips together.  
A moment of stillness, and then he’s sprayed by an unseen force. He jolts awake, eyes wide like saucers as he looks over and sees an honest to god grin on Rust’s face, the culprit of course. «You son of a bitch, come here!» Marty swims over and splashes Rust next; their arms collide against the clatter of water flying back and forth. They laugh and wrestle, trying to push and heave, almost pulling each other under but not quite ,until they’re pressed into each other. Marty goes under for a moment, needing a fresh dose of the cold before he springs back up to the surface, coughing a bit. Opening his eyes, he sees Rust staring at him, their faces just inches apart now. Marty looks back at him, he didn’t even notice the rise in their breathing. Neither says a word. Their noses brush together as they continue to stare. In a second it all changes, both boys lean forward, bringing their lips together.  
he dampness of curls pressing to his forehead, Rust witnesses Marty wrestle, getting his shoes, socks and shirt on. Eventually Marty is gone but Rust remains put, not sure when he finally walks out of river.  
....  
A couple days go by and they don’t discuss it. It happened and that’s the end of it. Both return to their old habits of being friends. Marty sits on the bench, pensive in thought in the locker room by himself. He can’t shake this feeling, he concludes it’s nothing more than nerves while he stalled going out to his next practice. Taking a deep breath, he sits up then, pulling out of his jersey the pendant Rust has given him. His head hungs low as he stared at the thing; the pad of his thumb motions over the sigil gently. He clutches the pendant tight in his hand before he shoves it back into his jersey. With a yell of distraction he runs out to the football field.

**Author's Note:**

> ......Finally had the nerve to post this, it's been a very bumpy road of where I wanted this idea to go. Basically I've had this idea for awhile about Rust and Marty as teens and becoming friends and eventual lovers over the course of a summer. Rust leaves Alaska behind to go live with his mother in Texas for awhile before then moving out to Louisiana, where he is Marty's neighbor. This is a little snippet of what I'd picture would happen between them as the ''first'' real step from their friendship to possible romance, it's also my first crack at writing the boys. Aside from the grammar issues , I like this unsure if this will become a full fledged fic like I originally imagined.
> 
> Update 6/30/15 
> 
> Thanks to lovely mariesondetre who has offered to beta my future works, I really want to thank you again for helping clean up this piece, I really really appreciate it. Here's the revised version for ya'll enjoy. :)


End file.
